A typical computer game console, such as the Microsoft Xbox™ or Sony PlayStation™, provides three primary sources of sound. The first is the game audio. The second is the chat voices of other players communicating in multiplayer games that allow two or more players to compete against each other via a local network or over the Internet. The third is the voice of the player wearing the headset and speaking into a microphone attached to the headset. The game sounds and chat sounds are separately adjustable so the sounds of game and chat can be balanced against each other.
On a PlayStation™ game console, the chat and microphone sounds are transmitted via a Bluetooth radio signal. This requires that the player wear a Bluetooth ear piece, similar to what is commonly used for hands-free communication with a mobile phone. When wearing this Bluetooth ear piece, the player's ear is blocked from hearing the game sound emanating from the speakers connected to the game console. This inhibits enjoyment of the game by making it difficult to hear the game in full stereo or surround sound. In addition, wearing the Bluetooth ear piece interferes with the use of a stereo headset to reproduce the game sound from the console. Therefore, the player is faced with a choice of either hearing only the game while wearing the headset or hearing the online chat sound with the ear piece, and listening to the game sound emanating from speakers with the other ear that is not covered by the ear piece.
On an Xbox™ game console, the online chat signal is fed to the headset via a cable between the Xbox™ controller and a so-called “communicator” headset that is simply a microphone connected to a speaker cup that sits over one ear. Some stereo gaming headsets provide a method of connecting this cable to the headset such that the sound from the online chat is combined with the game sound, allowing the player to hear both at the same time. This method, however, ties the headset to the controller device via the cable that to some degree defeats the purpose of using a wireless headset to hear the game sound from the console. Thus, when using the connection cable between the headset and controller, the wire interferes with the unencumbered playing style expected of a headset wireless system.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,395,090 describes a method for integrating the sound of a personal music player and a mobile phone when using a headset or ear buds. In order to switch between the two sources of sound, it is necessary to remove the headset. When used with a mobile phone, the user may communicate with the mobile phone while wearing headphones.
US published application US 2008/0280654 describes a headphone apparatus that includes an FM radio for receiving sound and a Bluetooth radio for wireless communication, along with a means of controlling the headset via a wireless connection to an external control unit.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,519,475 describes an earphone-microphone combination that allows a user to simultaneously use both a mobile phone and a radio receiving set with a common earphone-microphone combination. A switching device selects between the radio and the mobile phone. This earphone-microphone combination with a switching mechanism eliminates the need for the user to carry separate headsets for listening to a radio and speaking on the mobile phone. Instead, the user can use both a mobile phone and a radio simultaneously, with a common earphone-microphone combination. Manual switching is required to switch between sound sources and the radio source is not summed with the phone source, but rather the use of one precludes the use of the other. A phone call cannot be answered while simultaneously listening to the game audio via the second radio in the headset.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,658,267 and published application 2002/0067825 both describe a headset with an integrated commercial radio receiver and wireless telephone device that incorporates a microphone for speaking on a wireless telephone call and a method of selecting between the two such that the user can listen to a radio broadcast or conduct a wireless telephone call. The inventions essentially describe the integrated functionality of radio tuner and a wireless telephone unit without requiring the user to switch between the two devices. These inventions differ from the current invention in that they are limited to the use of an AM/FM radio combined with a cordless phone, whereas the current invention is designed to improve communication during game play by integrating a Bluetooth radio for voice communication with a second radio for game communication.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,006,115 describes a headset that incorporates a radio for receiving wireless phone calls and wireless audio programming, so the user may enjoy the wireless audio programming without missing a phone call. The phone call originates from a wireless base unit and is not specified as being Bluetooth enabled. This invention therefore differs from the current invention in that it does not specify two separate radios, one being of the Bluetooth standard used for voice communication and another of a proprietary standard used for listening to the game sound.